Chapter 5 – A Prisoner’s Past
1218 Words
One moment, I was half-naked and vulnerable, huddled in a damp cave with a dominant Lycan prince claiming me as his mate.
The next, I was dressed like a reluctant runway model, tucked into the plush interior of a limited-edition Maybach. The smell of leather and cologne was so strong it practically screamed money—an abrupt contrast to the earthy mildew of my cave hideout. I stared out the tinted window, watching trees blur past, trying to keep my hands from trembling. The thought of returning to my old pack made my stomach twist. I could already see my parents’ faces—grim, furious—because I had managed to evade their clutches for weeks.
“Why do you seem so reluctant to return to your own pack, Ana?” Romani’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. Calm, smooth, but sharp enough to slice. He sat beside me, perfectly composed, eyes on the road, yet somehow aware of every twitch I made, every flicker of emotion.
“What exactly is wrong? Your alpha will surely be relieved to see you. He’s your protector, isn’t he? And from your scent, I can tell you’re no rogue—the link to your pack isn’t entirely severed.”
Damn him and his supernatural lie detector!
He peeled back my defenses like they were cheap wrapping paper, exposing everything I wanted buried. He was a master at dissecting my reticence, patiently seeking out every vulnerability.
“I already told you, I don’t want to go back there,” I retorted, sharper than I intended. “But you’re forcing me. I’d rather head to Human Town. The Moonlight Walkers have nothing left for me.”
His authoritative demeanor was beginning to grate on my nerves.
He kept insisting we were mates, yet I felt no discernible bond, no magnetic pull, and Era remained equally unconvinced by his persistent claims. Our shared disbelief only heightened my suspicion.
“But procedures must be followed,” he explained, tone even, as if explaining a simple formality to a stubborn child. “I have to inform your alpha that you are my mate and that I’m taking you to the Kingdom. I need to know why you were alone in the forest when you clearly belong in a pack. You can start with the basics now.”
I had skillfully dodged this topic—the true story of my departure—in the cave.
But now, as the luxurious car sped along the winding forest road, I knew the truth was coming out, whether I volunteered it or not. I inhaled deeply, bracing myself.
“I was promised to the alpha’s son, Axel,” I began, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “But I despise him. They wanted to use me. Hybrids are exploited as breeders or sacrificed in rituals. Surely you’ve heard of such practices?”
I risked a quick glance at him, trying to gauge his reaction—whether he was genuinely ignorant or just playing a cruel game.
A deep frown creased his brow, and he briefly cast his gaze out the window, his expression unreadable.
“Yes,” he confirmed quietly, his eyes scanning the passing trees. “The shaman wasn’t chasing you for sport. He could have collected thousands of dollars if he’d captured you. Increasingly, shamans are hunting hybrids—your blood makes them stronger, grants them power. That, in turn, draws more clients and allows them to charge exorbitant fees.”
A chill ran down my spine, though I’d heard all this before.
My grandmother, wise and cautious, had recounted tales of such horrors, filling my childhood with warnings about the dangers of my unique lineage. That was exactly why I had fiercely rejected Axel.
The forced mating had been a grotesque arrangement—felt fundamentally wrong, a violation of my very being. The unspoken interests at play had been obvious—the alpha and Luna’s thinly veiled excitement over the potential pups we could produce had been sickeningly transparent.
“And you—what are your motives, then?” I pressed, my gaze unwavering, searching for any hint of deceit behind his striking features. “Why do you want me?”
I stayed focused, determined not to let him sway me with pretty words or a charming façade. He had, after all, purchased an entirely new, exclusive wardrobe for me from one of the most elite designer stores in Human Town.
It was an investment, of course. He was calculating his potential return once he had me completely in his power.
“Motives?” He turned fully to me now, a bewildered expression on his face, as if my question were absurd. “You are my mate! You belong to me! We will always be together. Later, we will start a family and take over the throne from my parents. In the meantime, you’ll learn the etiquette befitting royals. There’s a team of experts ready to initiate you.”
I shook my head slowly, a deep, weary sigh escaping me.
His grand plans sounded like a parody of a fairy tale—almost comical in their absurdity, given my desperate desire for a quiet, free life.
“We are not mates,” I said firmly, meeting his gaze. “It’s merely an idea of yours—a delusion. And I have no ambition whatsoever to become queen. I don’t even want a mate, not now, maybe not ever. All I want is freedom and a life of my own in Human Town, far away from the supernatural species who see me only as prey—something to be used or hunted.”
His eyes shifted, the sea-blue turning to obsidian black. His aura, previously commanding, flared into a suffocating heat, pressing against me like a warning flame promising pain if I dared lean closer. The car’s interior grew heavy with his barely contained power.
“You stay here with me!” he snarled, a dangerous growl vibrating through the plush vehicle. “And don’t test my patience, woman—I’m not exactly known for it. There are many who would gladly take your place. Be grateful I waited for you, that I kept myself pure for you. We’re following this procedure out of respect for you, Ana. You’ll be accepted more easily by my family and the wider werewolf community if they see I’ve treated you correctly.”
I refused to flinch.
I’d spent too long under control. Under no circumstances would I give him the idea that he could rule over me—that I would bend to his will like those in my former pack.
“And of course, for your reputation,” I added dryly, a cynical edge sharpening my voice, my gaze challenging his. “As future king, you’ll make a better impression, and your transition to the throne will go more smoothly, won’t it?”
His jaw twitched, a growl rumbling deep in his chest. His coal-black eyes locked onto mine—dangerous, relentless.
In this confined space, he could rip my head off and end me in seconds. That would be the swift, brutal end of my hard-won, fleeting freedom.
The air buzzed with unspoken threats, and I wondered how long my defiance could hold before the storm finally broke.
- Writer
